Monthly Archives: March 2015

“Kura” (in Japanese 蔵 or 倉) means “warehouse” or “Storehouse”.
In traditional Japan, especially during the Edo Era, as most of buildings and urba/village structures were made of wood, fires were the bane of society by and large.
However well-protected a fire would consume a house or buildings and all its properties within minutes.
Hence a special building or warehouse was needed to protect goods and properties against such a catastrophe.
But erecting a storehouse solely made of concrete, stones and some metal cost a vast amount of silver and gold and only rich merchants and nobility could afford them. Even castles could not be built entirely of stone then.

If you get off at Rokugo JR Station (六合駅) and walk towards Shimada City you will discover two kuras before you reach the Tochiyama Bridge (栃山橋) over theOotsuya River (大津谷川).

The Tochiyama Bridge (栃山橋)

You will find the first not halfway from Rokugo Station!

It is standing beside a very large traditional Japanese house which seems unoccupied but the kura itself is in good repair and obviously used by local farmers. It must have been owned by the former rich owners of the house.

Suzuki or seabass is a fish so popular with anglers all over the world that a lot of people forget it is also an extremely popular fish for sashimi and sushi in Japan.

“Simple” Sashimi Plate

Here the seabass was first seared before before being sliced for sashimi!

Like any other fish, it bears many names: Madaka, Hakura, Shiibasu.

In the Kanto (Eastern Japan) area, including Shizuoka Prefecture, it is called Seigo when under 25cm. At 3 years of age, when it has attained a length near 60cm, it is called Fukko or Suzuki.
In Kansai (Western Japan) it is called Seigo, Hane, and Suzuki.

A summer fish par excellence, it is caught mainly in Central and western Japan. But it is also caught in winter in Shizuoka waters.

The bigger and the older the fish, the better it is considered. After a decline in the 1980’s, catches have increased recently, reaching more than 9,300 tonnes after 2000.
It has been raised succesfully, thus replenishing stocks.
170.000 seabasses were raised in 1992!

Great as a sushi and appreciated for it natural taste. A little salt and lemon juice are enough.

As a sashimi it can be declined in many ways such as carpaccio!

Raw, it can be combined as a simple and sublime salad with octopus for example.

Italian-style as fritters combined with a salad!

Of course it is a very versatile fish you can appreciate cooked, simmered, or grilled, although it becomes fragile upon being cooked.

If you get off at Rokugo Station/六合駅 between Fujieda City and Shimada City JR Stations, go out through the south exit and you will find one of the five Shinto Shrines called Hachimangu in Shimada City!

Stone lantern at the main gate

It is quite small but ancient.
Its small park seems popular with the local lovers who don’t have many places to talk in peace in this islated part of Shimada City!

Moon and crescent motif openings of the the front gate stone lanterns!

The roofed hand washing stone basin!

Like any shrine, it is surrounded with old trees, not that remarkable, except for an old cherry tree with pure white blossoms!

The main shrine building!

Different and probably older stone lanterns!

The deer and cloud motifs!

The mountain motif!

Like many other shrines, a more recent building stands in front of the original shrine whose access is guarded.

I don’t mind repeating it all the time but I prefer conducting sake tastings in the right environment but not many places are propitious for that exercise or willing to help.
But La Sommeliere in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City is certainly becoming a habit as not only I can conduct my tasting in the best conditions possible but also exchange views at the same time!

Clarity: very clear
Color: faint golden hue
Aroma: dry and fruity. Banana, custard. Hints of pineapple and mango
Body: fluid
Tasting: very dry and fruity attack backed up with strong junmai petillant and pleasant acohol.
Complex. Dark chocolate, chestnuts, cashew nuts, banana.
Lingers for a short while warming up the palate before before departing on notes of dry coffee nuts, dark chocolate and oranges.

Overall: Eminently enjoyable on its own in spite of its strong alcohol.
Would superbly marry with cheese and chocolate in particular.
For all its declared “macho” approach would probably please ladies more.

Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん at Sushi Ko/すし幸 Sushi Restaurant in Shizuoka City holding a live filefish before preparing it!

Kawahagi, or Filefish or Leather jacket in the Land of Oz, must be one of the most underrated fish in the World!
Some people go as far as to say that penny for penny it is worth more than overpriced puffer/globefish/fugu!
And moreover it is safer!
Kawahagi or Thread-sail Filefish (or simply Filefish) is an angler’s favorite in summer, although it is caught almost all year round in Shizuoka.
Like any other fishes, it has other names such as “Gihagi, “Hagi”, “Gyuu”, “Subuta” or “bakuchiuchi”.
It is fairly common in Central and South Japan.
It is called Leather jJcket down in Australia where it is considered a pest!

The skin should be rough like that of a shark and brightly coloured.
Avoid sticky skin fish.
The bigger the size, the greater the taste (anglers, enjoy!)

In Kansai area, it replaces Fugu/Globefish when it is out of season for its similarity as sashimi.

It is such an eclectic fish that it can be appreciated as sushi, sashimi, marinated, or cooked, especially deep-fried!
When ordering such a fish at a sushi restaurant always ask it to prepared from a live fish, an easy thing here in Shizuoka Ciy as Sushi Ko Restaurant always two or three varieties swimming in their tanks!
The trick is to ask the chef to serve the whole and single fish in as many presentations as possible!
let me show you what Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん came up with!

The presentation as o-tsukuri/お作り, that is the fish cut in sashimi/slices of raw fish.
It can be cut as thinly as puffer fish and make for as beautiful!

It is served with small sticks of sscallion/negi/葱 that you wrap with thin slices of the fish. A great way to prove your dexterity with chopsticks!

As for the dip or seasoning you do not use soy sauce.
Chef Birukawa will serve you a dip sauce made with the fresh liver of the same fish seasoned with ponzu/lime vinegar and some secret ingredients.
Dip your fish and scallion into it before savoring it.
Do not discard any liver sauce leftover!

Another beautiful presentation of a larger variety!

As for sushi there two main possibilities with the thin slices of the filefish and its raw liver!

A nigiri/握り with chopped thin leeks under the fish topped with its liver!
A little dip in soy sauce will be more than enough!

A “gunkan/軍艦/mother ship” with the sashimi topped with its liver and chopped thin leeks!
Ask the chef to sprinkle with a tiny amount of ponzu!

And the deep-fried jowls of the same fish you eat with your fingers (that you lick later!) to cap it all!
Have I convinced you to look for that fish next time you see it in a good sushi restaurant or in a market?

SUSHI KO

Service: Pro and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean. Excellent toiletsPrices: Reasonable (for sushi!)Strong points: Great variety of fish and seafood from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan. Great list of sake and shochu.

AOI BEER STAND owned by Aoi Brewery in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, has the merit to offer on tap other craft beers from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan, but you do have to hurry as they usually served only one keg before switching to another brew!

This time I tasted another interesting craft beer from Ushitora Brewery in Tochigi Prefecture: “Nenooki Koohii/Wake-up Coffee”!

Shirogisu, or Sillago in English probably has as many Japanese names as English names.
The Sillago found along the Japanese shores is also called sillago japonica, Whiting or Smelt-Whiting in english, Shirogisu, Kisu, Magisu and Kisugo in Japanese.

The best specimen in Japan are caught in Fukuoka (Kyushu) and Ehime (Shikoku) prefectures from Spring to Summer.
It is also a sport angler’s favourite as they come in all sizes, although the everage will not measure much more than 10 cm.

Standard Shirogisu Sashimi

As a sahimi/raw fish it van be prepared in many manners:
Standard sashimi as above.

Shirogisu Konbujime Sashimi.
As konbujime, it will be matured between two sheets of wet konbu/seaweed to attain a sweet taste.

Shirogisu Aburi Sashimi

As aburi/lightly seared, one can enjoy two different textures and tastes at the same time.
Mind you, it is not easy to sear properly as the fillets are very thin!

The greatest part of the sillago catch comes from Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, China and other Asian countries.
Fortunately, here in Shizuoka, we do catch a sizeable amount in Suruga Bay guaranting freshness in season.

Shirogisu Sushi Nigiri.

If absolutely fresh, shirohisu/sillago makes for an interesting morsel, the more for it as it is quite rare in this sushi nigiri form.

Anglers will certainly appreciate it grilled on the stick at a BBQ on the beach with a nice pint of beer!

But the most popular way of savouring it is arguably as tempura or breaded and deep-fried, although the fish taste will vary greatly with freshness!
But if absolutely fresh, don’t forget to deep-fry its bones and head!